About Child Protection

World Vision is fully committed to protect the security, privacy, and dignity of the children whose parents/guardians and community leaders have graciously allowed to be a part of our child sponsorship programs.

This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document provides important information you need to know about how we protect children, the ramifications of our policies on this website child sponsorship technology, and your responsibilities as a user of this technology.

Please click on the blue twistie () to the left of each FAQ to expand the section and read the answer.

CHILD SECURITY

What Is Child Security?

Children have the right to be completely secure from the fear or reality of any potential abuse (either physical or emotional) resulting from an inappropriate contact by a sponsor or any other person.

How Does the Web Sponsorship Process Seek to Protect Child Security?

You will notice as you proceed through our sponsorship site that we release only limited information about the children. Information released does not include last names, community names or locations, or other information by which the location of sponsored children could be easily identified. We intentionally withhold this information until after the identity of the sponsor is verified.

The sponsorship process is contingent upon your agreement, as sponsor, that you will NOT attempt to contact a sponsored child, his or her family or community members, in any manner other than that prescribed and permitted in advance in writing by World Vision. In particular, telephone calls, email or unplanned visits to the child's residence and community are forbidden without written permission and oversight by World Vision. In addition, all postal mail and packages sent must conform to World Vision policy that will be stated in materials mailed to each sponsor (and available for your review online by clicking here).

CHILD PRIVACY

What Is Child Privacy?

Children and their families must be assured that World Vision is protecting the integrity of information, including photographs, that is shared about them with the public. We take potential abuse of child photographs on the web very seriously. Privacy also demands that children, their families and communities be shielded from any potential inappropriate contact from sponsors or others.

How Does the Web Sponsorship Process Seek to Protect Child Privacy?

Downloading, copying, or other replication of photos or other information that are a part of this website without advance written permission from World Vision is strictly forbidden. Child profiles are presented for the purpose of conveying appropriate information about the sponsorship relationship to the potential sponsor, and are not for distribution in any other manner.

Photographs on this site are encoded using a copyrighted digital watermark technology. World Vision works with technical partners to scan the World Wide Web for inappropriate placement and use of these photographs, and is committed to aggressive pursuit through all appropriate remedies against all violators of this policy.

For additional information on our photo and other content appropriate use policy, please see http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/comms.nsf/stable/linktowv.

CHILD DIGNITY

What Is Child Dignity?

The lives of children, their families, and members of their community should be portrayed with accuracy and dignity. The children we work with are not objects to be pitied, but are partners with us in the process of bringing holistic (spiritual, physical, psychological and social) transformation to communities in poverty and in transforming the hearts of beneficiaries and donors alike.

How Does the Web Sponsorship Process Seek to Protect Child Dignity?

We are committed to portraying the life situation of the children, families and communities we serve with accuracy and dignity. We seek the full, informed consent of parents, guardians, and/or community leaders for a child's participation in our child sponsorship programs.

If you have any questions about any of these policies, please email webmaster@worldvision.org. Thank you.

Click here for more information about how World Vision also protects the privacy of visitors and donors.